The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, February 25, 1922, Page 2

WATER COMPANY, 9 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25 San = | ASKS INCREASE 4 i i 4 q IN ITS RATES Asks Suspended 60 Per Cent In- crease be Made Temporary and ‘Hearing Held SAYS ‘EXPENSES . HIGHER Asserts That Company Is Not Making Fair Returns On Its Investment The Bismarck -Water ‘Supply Com- pany: today filed a petition with the state railroad commission asking for an increase in rates. Sometime ago. a petition was filed by a number of people for a decrease in rates and the company answered. The new pe- tition follows declination of the rail- road commission to dismiss the first action, ‘ The; company asks that temporary rates be fixed at the same as. those ordered on October: 2, 1920, which never became effective, and that the commission increase permanently the rates to such extent as will insure a fair. return upon the money invested: in accordance with the general prin-. ciple of the commission: which is an 8 per cent return to stockholders. After setting out its contention, the. company makes’ the following peti- mn: : “Your petitioner prays, that . the board of railroad commissioners fix a hearing hereon and that thereupon it issue an order granting the tempor- ary increase in the rates and rentals as set forth above, pending the com- pletion of the hearing, to be followed by an order granting the establish- ment of permanent rates set forth above and for such other and further relief as shall be deemed proper by. this honorable body.” Want 60. Per Cent Boost Now. The petition sets out that in the or- der of Oct. 2, 1920, the commission allowed an increase in rates and hy- drant rentals of approximately 60 per cent and requiring certain improve- ments and betterments to be made by the company. The city of Bismarck appealed from the order to the dis- trict court. During’ pendency of ap- peal the matter was taken into the su- preme court where the supreme court granted a writ of injunction on the. ground that the procedure in the case was not in accordance with regula- tions, not going into the merit of the case. The 60 per cent increase did not become effective, The petition says that the cost of suppliles, materials and labor ihave 80 greatly increased as to make the present rates non-compensatory. That.a valuable contract. between the company and the! Hughes Electric Company, whereby the water company’ was given a low rate on electric pow- er for the booster pump was abrogat- ed and a higher rate given the elec- tric company. That large expenditures of money have been made in litigation before the railroad commission in defending the company. ‘ That higher rates are necessary in order to produce a compensatory re- turn, That because the present rates are insufficient the company 48 unable to borrow money for the Purpose of making improvements, That the 60 per cent horizontal in- crease is not sufficient to enable the company to make a fair return, but that-it is desired this increase shall be made. pending .final hearing in. the matter. fy ; Expenses Increase 100, Per Cent. The company. maintains that total operating expenses have. increased 100 per cent since 1919 while revenue has increased by.7 per cent.\ It is claimed that most of the in- crease in operating expenses is: due to orders of the railroad commission over. which -the ‘company ‘has now control. .. Among these increasos : it ‘claims: electric bill increased from $4,952.57 im.1919, to $13,400 in’ 1922 (estimated); that taxes increased from $4,052.84 in 1919, to $10,600. in 1922 (estimated); that: expense for vlean- ing reservoirs increased from $229.44, in 1919, to, $900 in 1922; that lega: expenses increased from $1,175, in 1919 to $1,775 in 1922. The total ins Crease on items is giyen as.$20,- 021.15. TOPAL expenses. in 1919, it is said, amounted to $24,880.88 and: it is said the increased. expenses nearly equals this amount. Gress revenue, it says,. increased ‘from. $53,44;16 in 1919 to $56,641.47 in 1922, , To Set. Out Side, e It, was.agid by representatives of the company that it- plans to make weekly. public statements outlining the history and condition of the com- pany, and in these. statements: it. is said, the company expects to, Open its ‘bookg, end. records. to the public: to support. the company’s. declaration that, rates, are insufficient: .It is claimed that an 86 per cent increase. in rates would be necessary to pro- vide a return such as is held | compen- satory’ by the railroad commission. — ‘OLD-FASHIONED ARRY COOK 10 ~ BE CAST: ASIDE Cobleny,. Feb. 25—The old time United States army cook who special- ized on baked beans and corned “‘wil- ly” and, in war times in France, be- came fampus in soldier circles for his meal time call of “come: and get it,” is soon to he an individual of memory. only. Modern. progress. has pushed the old-fashioned army: cook aside, and in his. place will soon appear a white~ aproned ‘chap, with cap to..match, skilled in all the arts of the up; to Rescue parties of soldiers and civilians worked for hours in the debris of. the army diri le, Roma, wrecked and ravaged, by: flames at Norfolk, Va, This photograph, taken shortly after the disaster, shows the search for bodies of victims. In the center rescuers are shown removing the charre body: of one of those who lost his life in the air accident, a many; a8: part of the educational and vocational training system inaugurat- ed. some time ago. ‘A school for cooks and bakers has been established in Coblenz. Even all the. mess officers and enlisted men performing the duties of mess ser- geants have been ordered to take a course in training. This has been ar- ranged with a view of standardizing and improving the soldiers’ messes over which class graduated cooks. will reign supreme. RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR TALK GOING ON IN MOSCOW Lea Trotzky Refers To Menace To Chita From Mongolia, By Japanese RUSS-U. S..INTERESTS SAME Moscow, Feb. 25—The possibility of a new Russo-Japanese war, because of mutual encroachments in the Far Bast, has become a subject of dis- cussion in military circles here. be- cause of the shipment of army phy- sicilans and large numbers of offi- cers for troop training purposes to Chita (Siberia) and other points. Also troops subject to discharge at» the expiration of service terms are being held. George V. Chitcherin, Soviet Minis- ter of Foreign Affairs, has sent many notes té the Japanese, none of which appears to evoke an acknowledgement. (Leon Trotzky in his speech at ¢he Ninth All-Soviet congress, plainly stated that Russia could not indefin- itely endure the advance of Japanese troops on territory of its ally, the Far Eastern Republic.. He had refer- ence, in particular, to the menace to Chita from Mongolia, by Japanese. It is felt here that. Russia will not and cannot enter into any real war with Japan, partly because of’ the great distance from Moscow and also the lack of food for’ any large ‘bodies of-troops, but that in the spring there may be more advance guard skir- mishes. fe : Jn the meanwhile, the weapon of Russia will continue to. be propaganda against Japanese militarism by work- ing through the Third Internationale among the Socialists and Communists of Japan, Korea, Mongolia and China. This is the main purpose of the forthcoming Congress here of Far Eastern peoples. Many inspired arti- cles continue to appear in the Mos- cow press in an effort to show that the intérests of Russia and the Unlit- ed ‘States are identical, as related to Japan. ““At the Armament Conference in Washington, Baron Shidehara ‘made a statement declaring that Japan ‘had no: territorial designs in Russia and giving assurances that Japanese troops would be withdrawn as soon a8 @ stable government could be etab- Ushed there. ay ‘Baron Uchida, the Japanes¢ Foreign Minister, had announced to the Jap- anese Diet a few days before that Jap- an intended to evacuate Russian ter- ritory as soon as guarantees could be given for the safety of the lives and property of their nationals. , ‘No date when this could be accom- plished was suggested in the Japan- ese statement to the Washington con- ference. Secret@ry Hughes armounced in ithe conference that these Japanese assurances were'taken mean, that Japan did not seek through her mili- tary operation in Siberia to impair the: rights of the Russian people in any respect. F HAD THAT TIRED, WORN-OUT FEELING Do you know that “awful tired feel- ing,” languidness, lame or weak back, sore muscles, stiff or swollen joints, or rheumatic pains usually indicate kidney trouble? Foley Kidney Pills act promptly and . effectively. Mrs. Roberta Lilly, 709 Alton St., Alton, Il, writes: “For ‘three years I had a tired, worn-ouf feeling. Various. treatments failed. I bezan to improve on.the second dose of Foley Kidney date. kitchen. 3 Wes Domestic science is to be made a feature, according to recently formed Plans of the American forces in Ger- ! Pills and today I feel like new.” Adv. Egyptians often mortgaged the fam- ily sepulcker. Nally, killed. : SOVIET RUSSIA'S ARMY AND NAVY APPROPRIATIONS Army, According to Latest Re- ports, Number Over 1,500,000 Men Moscow, Feb. 25—Soviet Russia’s military appropriation for. the first | nine months of 1922 totals 556,028,069 gold rubles, or about $228,000,000. Its naval appropriations aggregated $36,- 000,000, bringing. the total contem- plated expenditures for army and} navy to about $264,000,000, according fo the budget approved by. the recent congress. This expenditure is based on the present size of the army and navy, The army, according to latest reports, numbers somewhat over 1,500,000-men and the combined’ strength of the sol- diers, the naval personnel and special troops is about 1,700,000.. Some of the Roma crew who were. killed or injured wien the giant while making a trial flight over Hampton Roads, Va. | Major J.°G, Thornell, killed; Captain Dale Mabry, kille 1. M, geant V..C. Hoffman, killed; Sergeant M. J. Beale, killed; Sergeant H: A. Chapman, injured; Sergeant R. C. Me- Food and- forage ‘for the. army- is _SOME OF THE VICTIMS IN ROMA’S PLUNGE Rear row: ROMA LANDING ON LAST TRIP TO CAPITAL provided for in an appropriation. ag- gregating about $79,000,000 which is greater than the amount of money America has already given for the re- lief of famine in the Volga districts’ and more than the amounts given by all foreign countries to relieve dis- tress in Soviet Russia. Western soldiers, particularly Amer- ican soldiers, will be amazed at the low rate of pay for military men. An ordinary soldier’s pay is 20,000 rubles a month, which is only about ten cents, or less than the price of a Rus- sion pound of white bread. Captains get the equvalent of abot $1.50. Di- vision commanders receive about $8 a month. Spy System Allowance Budget figures for the: Vecheka, or “Cheka”; show. that this all-powerful | spy system which combinesegislative, executive and judicial function all in one, and has beenthe chief object’ of attack from abroad, as well’as within Russia, is to cost $10,200,000. ~ The Supreme “Economie. Council. which is endeavoring ‘to -reconstruct | Russian industry gets $77,000,000; ag- riculture gets $26,000,000; education | $61,000,000; and the department of| health $58,000,000. | The contemplated expenditures total | 1,877,000,000 gold rubles while’ the es-| timated income _ totals™ 1,647,000,000 | gold. rubles, leaving a deficit: equiva- | lent to about '$115,000,600. i re Left to right, front row: x Sergeant J. M, Bredenbach, injured; Ser- ible plunged to the earth and exploded | Lieutenant W. J. Reed, injured; This shows the ill-fated dirigible Roma landing at Bolling Field, on the last ‘trip it made to the capital. The chief sources. from which it is estimated the state’s income will be derived 'are— nationalized ‘industries which are expected to yield $449,000,- 000 and $219,000,000 income from grain and other products taken as taxes in kind. The income from trans- portation is placed at. $49,000,000. SLOAN’S EASES PAIN RELIEVES THE ACHE ORMENTING, agonizing rheu- atic aches are quickly relieved by Sloan's. Liniment. “Apply it freely and enjoy a comforting sense of warmth. Zt penetrates withoutrubbing. Good also for sciatica, lumbago, neuralgia, over-cxerted _ muscles, ‘stil joints, external aches and pains, back- aches, strains and sprains, Don't Iet pain lay you up. Keep Sloan’s Liniment hendy.and at the first sign of an ache or pain, use it, for it cestainly does produce results, Atall druggist$—35e, 70c, $1.40. pioa ip Liniment |Carl Kjsitaky and I fought a good >| the valuation. - |the Landowner has nothing left. The Fobruary 25, 1922, Time was whet fight against the unjust taxes, Now he is at the public.crib and doth pro- test against the tax reduction. Oh dear Kosituky,.sweet Kositzky, Oh! " ‘fhe initiative measures ano all for tax reduction. Those taxes aro gross: ly excessive, illegal, unjust: and- op- pressive. To insist’on opprassion will net benefit the investors, You, all know ths story of poor Shylock. By| reason of his unjust claim, he forfeited his hond for three thousand crowns and half his property, and h2 was forced to become a Christiap, Assur edly the people will unload part of their nefarious tax burdens regardless of eny Shylock plea to tha contrary. The measures submitted . will jand will reduce the “unpaid ti |the past three years, reduc the as- | Sessments, the taxes of this yéar and igive the people relief one ‘year in ad- vance of any relief that might be giv- en by the next legislative assembly. Now is the time we need the relief. |'Now is the day jof salvation. The tax receivers are not in the bread line nor in danger of hunger like the taxpay- ers, The reduction is a matter of simple justice. Under the bad laws of :1919 the tax commision and tax super- Visors made assessments which wero three fold that of any former year, and to this about forty per cent was added by the state board of equaliza- tion. The same valuation was ‘con~ tinued in 1920 and 1921. The result was to permit a threefold increase in |the tax levies because in every case the levies are limited to a percent of The addition of forty per cent to the huge assessment was for the pi se of boosting the taxes, and not for the purpose of equalizing the assessments. Hence it was not legal. By the constitution it is pro- vided that no tax shall be levied, ex- cept in pursuanc? of law, and every law imposing a tax shall ‘distinctly state the object jof the same, to,which only it may be applied. “The legislative assembly shall pro- vide for raising revenue sufficient to defray the,expenses pf the state for each year, not to exceed in any one year four mills on the dollar of the assessed valuation of all taxable pno- perty.” This contemplates no tax levies ex- cept on property according to an as- sessed valuation. Hence all the new~ fangled tax levies are unconstitution- al.- As the state tax levy.is limited to four mills on the dollar, of qourse it may not be increased without limit by a dog tax on lawyers, an income tax,,a pool hall tax, a motor vehicle tax, a special tax on horses, cows, pigs | or lands, On the tax question we have gome to the parting of the ways. In North Dakota and in South Dakota the taxes of the past three years have ‘heen a monstrasity, an abomination to the Lord. For those three years the taxes on lands and on tenemen:s | have been equal the net rental value of thesame. After paying interest, re- pairs, insurance, taxes, running ex- penses and excessive carrier rates, common carrier is assured a net pro- fit cf six per cent, while the toiling wealth )producer has not a profit, of one cent. Surely the tree which bears such evil fruit must be hewn‘and cast into the fire. Waualitv is equity. If the class ‘who toil not-have a right to ‘-six percent net profit, the.toilers jheve a right to the same net profit The safety of the Republic depends on BVSANTAL ‘CAPSULES ‘ach Capsule | bears name Ba | * Beware ofcounterfoits |BIANEYS SERVICE @ BISMARCK. NORTH @AKOTA © Knovi all over the Northwest for Quality ® MAIL US Your FILMS ® SATURDAY EVENING LETTER: (By Justice J. E. Robinson.) With our new McClintock Safety fair play. We must not kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Bie And what of the extortionate rail» way rates? To war time - passenger rates there is gdded twenty per cent, to freight rates, thirty-five per cent. The law of the state is disregarded with impunity, because it does | not give to the injured party a penalty. By Iaw the rates are fixed and there is no ‘purpose to change legal rates, but merely to give to every injured party a penalty for each willful violation of the law. Without a penalty a statute has no logal force. For all those wrongs, we, the pco- ple, have the remedy in our own hands and until we make a proper. use of the remedy we cannot hope to pros- per. a G00D SHOWS BOOKED HERE Manager Vesperman Announces Auditorium Program Several good showg have been booked for the Auditorium in the. next few months, Manager E. H. L. Ves- perman said today. The first of the shows is May Rob- son in “It Pays to Smile,” which is to be here March 23. i Other shows booked include: ‘ “The Bat,” the mystery play which has been one of the most -popular plays of the season, on April 12. “Trene,” musical comedy, on May 17. Greenwich Village Follies, musical ’ show, on May 23: > Ww Walter Hampden, in Shakespéarean repertoire, May. 26. “Abraham Lincoln,” on June 5. “The Passing Show,” on June 15. Leo Dichtrichstein, on July 15. “The Bat” recently played in San Francisco, according to word received by Mr. Vesperman, and it. was neces- sary to take out orchestra chairs to provide room.. ~ Re) ~ BANK POSITIONS FOR D. B. C. GIRLS Miss Myrtle Ufer has been em- ployed by the First National Bank of Steele, and Gladys Emerson by the State Bank of Wolford. Both came from Dakota Business Col-¢ ze, Fargo, N. Db. Great pros- pects are open to girls sent from this fine old schoo! to bank posi- tions. At least 40 have become officers, are doing “‘man’s work’? at mian-size salaries. D. B. C. pupils get ahead be- cause they’re taught why, as well as how, to do things. “‘Follow the. Succe$$ful.”? Write for terms to F._L. Watkins, Pres., 806 Front &., Fargo, N. D. Underwood Typewriter -Co. Standard and Portable. Sold. Rented. Repaired. Bismarck, N. D. ' EAGLE Tailoring and Hat Works Dry Cleaning, Pressing, Re- pairing, Remodeling, Dyeing of Ladies’ and Men’s Clothes. Prompt and courteous service. Call For and Deliver. Phone 58 313 Broadway Bismarck, N, D. We clean and reblock hats. a REARS EET ED Safety and Service THE TWO STRONG PILLARS ON WHICH WE ARE BUILDING OUR BUSINESS r Burglar Alarm System which we recently installed, our bank is a safe place to keep your ’ Liberty Bords and other valuables as well as to do your ceneral banking business. First National Bank, Bismarck, N. D. GET A SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX NOW First :